A man has been critically injured in a boat explosion on the NSW Mid North Coast.
Emergency crews were called to a marina on Buller Street, on the Hastings River, Port Macquarie just before 8pm on Wednesday after reports a gas bottle had exploded on a houseboat.
A 50-year-old man was treated at the scene for serious burns to his face and legs and a 16-year-old boy was also treated for minor injuries.
Both were taken to Port Macquarie Hospital for treatment and police have established a crime scene to determine the circumstances around the explosion.
"Two people reported to have been on a houseboat that exploded on the Hastings River earlier tonight are being treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics," NSW Marine Rescue said on Twitter.
"The cause of the explosion is unknown.
"An MR Port Macquarie crew is conveying two firefighters to check the boat from a safe distance."
RSLQueensland have told 9News they're furious after two local boxers filmed themselves breaching the state's current lockdown and extinguishing Brisbane's eternal flame.
Tim Warburton and Ryan Mitchem have attempted to defend their actions after they broadcast the disrespectful act on social media, with Mr Warburton jumping the fence and smothering the flame with a jumper.
The incident is one of several reported occurrences of those in the southeast thinking they're above the law in the past 24 hours.
"It's burning and it's gone, perfect … no curfew anymore because the Olympic flame is gone," Mr Mitchem can be heard saying in the video.
Mr Mitchem attempted to defend the action this morning, claiming that he was "against war" and "against countries going to other countries and stealing their resources".
"Yes people died to make us have a better life, but really the winners rewrite history," Mr Mitcham said.
"I've got a hangover, and I don't care."
"You can have an opinion, but you don't actually have to share it."
Mr Warburton has told his followers he'll most likely be on breakfast television over the stunt.
"This guy ... was watching one of my stories, and I'll probably be on tomorrow morning," Mr Warburton said.
Queensland Police have since told 9News that they are aware of the footage and have said a $2,000 fine will apply.
Other than the stunt, Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski reported that only one other fine was issued, a man from Nambour who refused to put on a mask.
"He refused on several occasions to wear a mask at the Nambour Library and was handed a $200 penalty infringement notice."
NSW Health says Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello has been forced back into quarantine after he was provided incorrect advice about the nature of his exposure to coronavirus.
The NSW minister was told he was a close contact along with dozens of other politicians when Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall tested positive to COVID-19 after attending a Paddington pizza shop and attending a parliamentary sitting on Tuesday, June 22.
However, Mr Dominello was then permitted to leave quarantine on Saturday, June 26, after he returned a negative coronavirus test and was reclassified as a casual contact.
That change in classification was blasted by NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro, who was still deemed a close contact of Mr Marshall.
Mr Barilaro is quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald as saying he had a "two to three minute" conversation with Mr Marshall whereas Mr Dominello was in Mr Marshall's office and interacted with the infected minister during Question Time.
"But for some reason his interaction, which he has admitted to, has been interpreted differently and I think this honestly shows it is a lucky dip ... it depends which contact tracer you get on the end of the phone," Mr Barilaro said.
After reassessing the situation, NSW Health announced on Wednesday evening that Mr Dominello was once again being considered a close contact and he immediately re-entered isolation when contacted by health officials.
There was some concern after Mr Dominello appeared alongside Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Health Minister Brad Hazzard and Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant at a press conference in the afternoon.
But NSW Health confirmed an urgent COVID-19 test was performed on Mr Dominello when he went back into quarantine and this again returned a negative result.
"Minister Dominello will remain in isolation until 6 July. His two negative test results mean he has not posed a risk while in the community or to those he has interacted with in recent days," NSW Health said in a statement.
"The risk assessment by NSW Health determined his proximity in the Chamber, during Question Time, on Tuesday 22 June for an extended period of time made Minister Dominello a close contact.
"The risk assessment of a further exposure event in his office on Tuesday 22 June determined Minister Dominello was a casual contact.
"He received a call from NSW Health on Saturday 26 June about this exposure event and was informed he could leave isolation after receiving a negative test result.
Nine News Political Editor Chris Uhlmann has taken aim at Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young's stance on the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Today the pair told a press conference that people under 40 should not get that vaccine, despite it being made available to younger Australians this week.
It sparked chaos and confusion between state leaders, health professionals and the public.
"What the Queensland Premier and her Chief Health Officer did today was simply astonishing," Uhlmann said tonight.
"If they wanted to shift blame for their lockdown onto the Prime Minister there was plenty of fertile ground on which to work.
"They could say the vaccine rollout is too slow, which is true.
"They could flog Scott Morrison for bad communication with doctors, or for his slow conversion to the idea of purpose-built quarantine.
"But they didn't do that.
"Instead, they attacked the quality of a vaccine that we desperately need to dig our way out of this prison.
"They played up the vanishingly small chance of dying from AstraZeneca and became the latest loud voices adding to fear and confusion in the community.
"It was breathtaking and the only winners out of today are the anti-vaxxers."
The AstraZeneca debate
Prime Minister Scott Morrison's call to extend eligibility for the AstraZeneca vaccine for anybody aged over 18 prompted alarm in some quarters.
Advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), as the government has acknowledged, has not changed, and the AstraZeneca vaccine continues to be recommended for use by over-60s only.
Ms Palaszczuk said National Cabinet did not make the decision to widen the availability of AstraZeneca to under-40s.
"National Cabinet did not make that decision," she said at her COVID-19 media briefing today.
"I like to ask the prime minister, did his cabinet make that decision?"
She called into question whether it was wise for the prime minister to allow younger Australians to get AstraZeneca.
"We want Queenslanders to get vaccinated," she said.
"But there is some clear guidelines that have been put in place by the chief health officer, ATAGI, and the AMA."
She urged Queenslanders to listen to the advice of health experts, including Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young.
Dr Young was clear in her thoughts on the prime minister's decision to allow younger Australians to get the AstraZeneca vaccine.
"I do not want under-40s to get AstraZeneca," she said.
"I don't want an 18-year-old in Queensland dying from a clotting illness who, if they got COVID, probably wouldn't die."
More than 230 deaths have been reported in British Columbia, Canada since Friday as a historic heat wave brought record-high temperatures.
The province's chief coroner called it an "unprecedented time."
"Since the onset of the heat wave late last week, the BC Coroners Service has experienced a significant increase in deaths reported where it is suspected that extreme heat has been contributory," Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe said in a statement.
The coroner's service normally receives about 130 death reports over a four-day period.
From Friday through to Monday, at least 233 deaths were reported, the chief coroner said, adding "this number will increase as data continues to be updated."
Coroners are now gathering information to determine the cause and manner of deaths and whether heat played a role, the statement said.
"Environmental heat exposure can lead to severe or fatal results, particularly in older people, infants and young children and those with chronic illnesses," the statement added.
Authorities earlier in the day reported a spike in sudden deaths for Vancouver and nearby Burnaby and Surrey.
Officers have responded to more than 65 sudden deaths since the heat wave began on Friday, Vancouver Police said.
"Today alone, officers had responded to 20 sudden deaths as of 1.45pm, with more than a dozen others waiting for police to be dispatched," the department said in a statement,
Royal Canadian Mounted Police have responded to 35 sudden deaths in nearby Surrey since Monday, media relations officer Cst Sarbjit K. Sangha told CNN.
"While the causes of death has not yet been determined in each of these cases, we can confirm that Surrey RCMP is responding to a higher than usual number of deaths since the beginning of the extreme weather conditions," Cst Sangha said.
In the city of Burnaby, police responded to more than 34 sudden death calls since Monday, with heat believed to be a contributing factor in the majority of the deaths, according to a release from RCMP.
"We are seeing this weather can be deadly for vulnerable members of our community, especially the elderly and those with underlying health issues. It is imperative we check on one another during this extreme heat," Cpl. Mike Kalanj with Burnaby RCMP said.
Many of the deceased have been senior citizens, RCMP said, and police are urging people to check on loved ones and neighbours as the heat wave bringing record-breaking temperatures to the region continues.
The RCMP in Surrey is encouraging all residents, especially the elderly, to take precautions to protect themselves from heat injuries.
"It's pretty amazing, and there are a few other people who reached out ... unbelievable kindness."
Ms Coffey, who has tested negative several times to COVID-19 since her arrival said the uncertainty as to whether she would be able to see her dad had left her in "despair".
"It's pretty unbelievable to think back to yesterday morning ... I was in absolute despair, it was completely hopeless anything was going to be resolved quickly."
The NSW health department started to become "proactive" over the past 24 hours Ms Coffey said, and finally some clarity ensued and her flight was arranged for this afternoon.
"I'm pretty elated this morning and still in disbelief I'm going to be flying today," she said.
NSW and Victoria health departments worked together to reach a solution.
"I'm so happy ... and there seems to be some kind of change and review of the process so people don't have to miss out on saying goodbye to loved ones."
A judge has told a court a couple who kept a woman as a slave for eight years in their Melbourne home have never expressed any remorse.
Kumuthini Kannan and her husband Kandasamy were found guilty in April of keeping the Tamil grandmother as a working prisoner inside their Mount Waverley house.
Her appalling condition was uncovered when she was discovered in a pool of urine and emaciated, weighing just 40kg.
They paid her just over $3 a day to cook, clean and care for their three children.
Prosecutors say they trapped her inside the property when they went away on overseas holidays.
When the woman was found in their home she was suffering sepsis, untreated diabetes and was missing her teeth.
Justice John Champion told the Supreme Court of Victoria the couple showed "a distinct lack of care".
"They must have been aware she was probably days away from dying, and it's never been conveyed that 'we were sorry'," he said.
Mr Kannan's barrister said they were reluctant to apologise because any expression of regret could be taken as an admission of liability or culpability, which could impact an appeal in the future.
Since being found guilty, the court heard the 57-year-old man has been diagnosed with mild autism and a major depressive disorder.
His lawyer has argued Mr Kannan's mental health will deteriorate if incarcerated and that his client should be given a suspended sentence so he can care for his three children who have special needs.
Mrs Kannan's bail has been revoked, but her husband has been allowed to remain in the community to organise care for their children.
The court has been told this is the first domestic slavery case of its kind ever heard in Australia.
The husband and wife are now both facing a maximum jail sentence of 25 years and are currently out on bail.
A Melbourne family have finally been reunited with their eldest son after two years - thanks to a stranger.
Tom Jose and Joicy Ephrem, who are both mental health nurses, have finally got Ephrem, five, home from India after saying goodbye to him two years ago,
They sent him to spend time with both their families in Kerala, in June 2019, as is common in their culture.
But when the borders were closed due to coronavirus in March 2020, he remained trapped there, a situation Mr Jose described as "horrible".
They had tried to go and fetch him, but feared all getting stuck there away from their jobs, with 10,500 still stranded in the nation due to Australia's travel caps which limit numbers allowed home.
But thanks to Linda Thomas and her husband Joby, from Tamworth in NSW, the family is now together again.
Her and her husband brought not one but two young children home with them.
Ephrem was joined by Mrs Jose in hotel quarantine before reuniting with the rest of the family this week.
Mr Jose, 34, said he was overcome when he saw his son at Melbourne Airport.
He told 9News.com.au he had "joyful tears in his eyes".
Australians can now apply to leave the country under the ongoing travel ban to go to India to bring their stranded child home with them.
Getting flights home remains difficult and expensive due to the flight caps and hotel quarantine.
A DFAT spokesperson said its "highest priority at this time is helping vulnerable Australians overseas."
"Around 10,400 Australians including citizens and permanent residents in India are currently registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as wanting to return," it said in a statement.
"We encourage Australians seeking to return to Australia to register their details with DFAT.
"Since March 2020, almost 22,300 Australians registered with DFAT have returned from India, of which over 8,000 were directly assisted on 50 facilitated flights departing from India."
China is in the middle of a huge power crunch as extreme weather, surging demand for energy and strict limits on coal usage delivers a triple blow to the nation's electricity grid.
It's a problem that could last for months, straining the country's economic recovery and weighing on global trade.
Nearly a dozen Chinese provinces have said they are facing a power crunch in recent weeks, including some of the country's most important engines for economic growth.
Guangdong province — a manufacturing centre responsible for $2.2 trillion or more than 10 per cent, of China's annual economic output and a bigger share of its foreign trade — has been rationing power for over a month.
The restrictions have forced companies across the province to shut down for a few days per week.
Some local authorities are warning that power rationing could last through the end of the year.
It's not just Guangdong. At least nine provinces have said they are dealing with similar issues, including Yunnan, Guangxi and the manufacturing hub of Zhejiang, forcing regional authorities to announce power curbs across an area of China the size of the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Japan combined.
The power crunch even contributed to a slowdown in factory activity growth in China in June, the country's National Bureau of Statistics acknowledged on Wednesday.
It's the worst energy shortage in China since 2011, when droughts and surging coal prices pushed 17 provinces or regions to curb electricity use.
Power plants are reluctant to produce a lot of electricity when the coal they burn is expensive: Beijing controls the cost of power, so producers can't simply raise their prices.
This time around, the post-pandemic commodities boom and severe weather are once again forcing coal power plants to curb output, while also hampering hydroelectricity.
But there's a key difference: China is also grappling with how to meet President Xi Jinping's push for a carbon neutral China by 2060.
That ambitious target for the world's biggest coal consumer has led the country's coal mines to produce less, resulting in higher prices, according to Yao Pei, chief strategist for Chinese brokerage firm Soochow Securities.
A one-two punch to the economy
The shortages could deliver a one-two punch that may knock China's fragile recovery off course, while spelling further trouble for global supply chains that are already struggling to cope.
"The power rationing will inevitably hurt the economy," said Yan Qin, lead carbon analyst for Refinitiv.
A shortage of electricity could reduce output across virtually every sector of the economy, including key construction and manufacturing industries.
Such businesses used nearly 70 per cent of China's electricity last year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, and have been major drivers of the recovery in 2021.
Guangdong-based Chengde New Material, one of the country's largest stainless steel producers, told clients late last month that it would shut operations for two days per week until power no longer needs to be rationed.
The company expects production volumes to decline by 20 per cent, or as much as 10,000 tons of steel per month.
"The companies are not happy about this," said Klaus Zenkel, chair of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in South China.
He said as many as 80 of the chamber's member companies might have been affected by the government's orders to suspend operations for a few days a week, adding that domestic manufacturers have been forced to stagger production, too.
Some companies have even started renting expensive diesel generators to keep business going, he said.
The power rationing in key metal producing province Yunnan has even caused a decline in the supply of some types of metals, including aluminium and tin, according to government data and independent research.
The production cuts and prospect of missed delivery deadlines across China also risks stretching an already tight global supply chain.
Guangdong alone is a manufacturing heartland that accounts for a quarter of China's total trade, including clothes, toys and electronics.
"It [the power shortage] might add to the shipping delays which can be felt around the globe," said Henning Gloystein, director of energy, climate and resources at Eurasia Group.
Adding to the pressure is that Guangdong has already seen its incredibly busy container ports clogged by a COVID outbreak.
The shipping backlog could take months to clear and lead to shortages during the year-end holiday shopping season.
That leaves little room for any additional problems, such as the power shortages.
"The power shortage may lead to work schedule rearrangement for local manufacturers, challenging the timeliness of delivery [and] therefore the rest of the supply chains," said Lara Dong, senior director for power and renewables in Greater China at IHS Markit.
High demand and extreme weather
Experts attribute the scale of the power crunch to a host of issues, from high demand for energy to extreme weather.
Beijing's infrastructure-led economic recovery plan is very carbon intensive, according to Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst for the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
Through the first five months of the year, power consumption in South China exceeded pre-pandemic levels — up 21 per cent from the same period in 2019, according to the China Southern Power Grid, a big state-owned grid operator.
Coal is still involved in generating some 60 per cent of the country's power.
But the government is wary of that figure rising any higher — and so has been trying to reduce coal consumption as it tries to achieve its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2060.
Limitations on coal usage, though, have coincided with a thirst for energy caused by economic rejuvenation, along with extreme weather.
That's causing a growing tension between demand and supply.
Exceptionally hot weather in some areas has led to an increase in power demand, as people use more air conditioning and refrigeration.
Meanwhile, there's a huge strain on energy production.
Renewable energy sources, such as hydropower, have been hobbled by drought.
Major hydropower hub Yunnan province, for example, has had trouble retaining the water it needs in its reservoirs, according to Myllyvirta.
A nationwide safety check before the Communist Party's 100th anniversary on Thursday has led to massive suspensions of coal mines across China, exacerbating the strains on the coal supply.
The check comes after a jump in deadly coal incidents recently, in some cases due to illicit mining activity.
To "create a harmonious environment" before the anniversary, many coal mines have been ordered to shut for inspections, according to local governments or state firms.
"Political stability is the top priority now until end of July," Ms Qin said.
China has also struggled to shore up overseas supply.
Coal is really expensive to import, according to Eurasia Group's Mr Gloystein, who said that prices have more than doubled in the last year.
Mr Gloystein also pointed out that trade tensions with Australia — which in 2019 was responsible for nearly 60 per cent of China's thermal coal imports — have created a strain.
Beijing imposed trade barriers against Australian coal last year after Canberra called for an independent investigation into the origins of COVID-19.
Since then, China has imported more coal from Indonesia and South Africa to make up for the deficit, but that hasn't filled the gap.
"This has left some Chinese utilities short of fuel for their power stations," Mr Gloystein said, adding that it's tough to get extra supply on short notice from places like Indonesia.
Shortages could continue
Power shortages are likely to continue for at least the next few months, especially as demand stays high in the hot summer months. Ms Qin from Refinitiv said that there are "still significant risks" that southern and central China will need to continue rationing power, especially if the weather is hotter than normal.
The government has other options, too.
Mr Gloystein suggested that China could remove barriers against Australian coal, although "that would make Beijing look rather weak."
And ultimately, authorities may have to think about giving way on some climate targets. He suggested that Beijing could "throw back online" power plants that were shut down earlier this year to curb excess pollution.
Ms Qin said that power shortages are likely to remain a problem "quite often" for at least a while, though.
China seems committed to controlling dirty energy, and is trying to up its use of renewable sources and reduce the use of fossil fuels.
"The issue facing China's power supply is how to both meet rising electrification needs and decarbonization goal," Ms Qin said, adding that while China is developing a lot of renewable energy sources, those sources aren't yet as stable as ones that use fossil fuels.
While she pleaded for prosecutors to take up her college rape complaint, Shannon Keeler studied in Spain, won a national championship in lacrosse, earned a bachelor's degree and fell in love.
All the while, she gathered evidence from the freshman year attack and passed it on to investigators.
Here are the names of people who saw the upperclassman stalk me at the frat party in 2013. Here's the phone number of the friend who saw him follow me home. Here's the name of the hospital where my coach took me for a rape kit.
And then, just last year: Here's a recent message from his Facebook account that says, "So I raped you."
After verifying the account, and after Ms Keeler told her story to The Associated Press, a new team of police and prosecutors obtained an arrest warrant yesterday, charging Ian Cleary, 28, of Saratoga, California, with sexually assaulting Ms Keeler when they were students at Gettysburg College in 2013.
Police say they had not yet located him, and aren't sure where he is. So it's still not clear whether Ms Keeler will see the case go to trial.
"While I am moved to tears by this result, which I have waited for (for) over seven years, I am mindful that this moment came because I went public with my story, which no survivor should have to do in order to obtain justice," Ms Keeler, now 26, said in a statement issued through her lawyer.
Ms Keeler had discussed her experience in the AP story that detailed the frequent reluctance among prosecutors to file charges in campus rape cases.
Authorities had told Ms Keeler it was difficult to prosecute cases when the victim had been drinking, she said. The rape kit was later lost or destroyed.
The affidavit filed along with the warrant accuses Mr Cleary, then a junior and a goalie on the ice hockey team, of following Ms Keeler home from the party, sneaking into her room and sexually assaulting her. Ms Keeler did not even know his name.
As he apologised and fled, Ms Keeler texted friends on campus "OMG please help me," the documents said.
The Gettysburg Police Department had reopened the case last year after Ms Keeler showed them a flurry of messages that appeared to come from Mr Cleary's Facebook account.
Police got a search warrant for the account, and matched it to Mr Cleary through the mobile phone number, according to the affidavit.
Adams County District Attorney Brian Sinnett, whose office had filed few rape cases involving adult victims since 2013, supported the charges.
Washington lawyer Laura Dunn, who represents Ms Keeler, said she hopes the case inspires authorities to be more responsive to sex assault victims. She wonders what's next.
"Are we going to be able to find him? Are we going to be able to have an arrest? Is there going to be a plea deal or successful prosecution?" she said.
"I remain hopeful, but I do have a serious concern with the fact that he has not yet been arrested, not yet been located."
A mobile phone linked to Mr Cleary rang unanswered today and did not have voice mail.
Messages left at phone numbers associated with his father in California and his mother in Maryland were not immediately returned.
The AP previously did not name Mr Cleary because he had not been charged, and had not been able to reach him for comment.
Now that the arrest warrant has been issued, The AP is using his name.
The alleged assault occurred on the final night of Ms Keeler's first semester at Gettysburg, when few students were still on campus.
Victim advocates say that campus sexual assaults frequently occur during a student's first year, when they are perhaps most vulnerable.
Ms Keeler had stayed an extra day because a snowstorm had delayed her last exam until that Saturday.
Mr Cleary never returned to campus after that semester, ending the school's Title IX investigation, she said. He appears to have later graduated from a university in northern California.
Ms Keeler always felt she had a strong case. The witnesses include a friend who escorted her home from the party to keep her safe — and says Mr Cleary followed them and offered $26 ($US20) to leave him alone with Ms Keeler.
"It has bothered me over the years that I was never able to do anything," Ms Keeler told the AP this spring. "If you're not going to help me, who are you going to help? Because I do have evidence."
Only one in five college sex assault victims report to police in the US.
And when they do, experts say, prosecutors often hesitate to take cases where victims had been drinking or knew the accused.
Mr Cleary appears to have lived in Europe in recent years.
The efforts to locate him could stretch across the country and overseas, officials said.
Sixty people are charged with running a California-based drug ring that sold methamphetamine around the US and in Australia, authorities announced today.
A federal jury in San Diego issued the indictments in May after a year-long investigation that led to the seizure of 100 kilograms of meth, 90 guns and $330,000 (US$250,000) in cash, according to a statement from the US attorney's office.
Forty-four people were in custody and 16 were being sought, authorities said.
Most of those indicted are from San Diego and face charges including importing methamphetamine and conspiracy to distribute meth and to launder money.
The drug charges carry at least a 10-year sentence ranging up to life in prison.
According to prosecutors, the network obtained thousands of kilograms of methamphetamine from Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel and smuggled it across the border into the United States in hidden compartments in cars and motorcycles.
"The defendants then used these cars and motorcycles, along with trains, commercial airlines, the US mail and commercial delivery services like FedEx and UPS, to distribute that methamphetamine to dozens of sub-distributors," according to the US attorney's office statement.
The drugs were sold throughout San Diego County, and in Hawaii, Arizona, Texas, Kansas, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Kentucky, prosecutors said.
Drugs also were sold in Australia and New Zealand, authorities said.
Profits from drug sales went to the ringleaders through bulk cash shipments, bank account deposits and money transfers through a variety of systems, including Western Union, PayPal and Venmo, authorities said.
The exact circumstances surrounding the collision are yet to be determined and investigations are ongoing.
Police would like to speak to anyone who witnessed the lead-up to the collision, the collision or who has dash cam footage, to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report via www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
It will soon be mandatory to check-in at all workplaces and retail businesses in NSW, to assist with coronavirus contact tracing.
From July 12, people must use the Service NSW QR code at a wider range of venues, Minister for Digital and Customer Service Victor Dominello said today.
"This is about keeping customers and staff safe and getting all businesses open again as soon as possible," Mr Dominello said.
"We know the Delta variant of COVID-19 moves quickly and we must do everything we can to get it under control.
"While many retail businesses, including large supermarkets and hardware chains, have voluntarily adopted the Service NSW QR code, this measure will ensure check-in rates are high across the board and contact tracers have access to reliable records."
The below businesses will have to display QR check-in codes from July 12:
Retail businesses and supermarkets
Individual shops within shopping centres
Shopping centres will also be asked to display QR codes at entry points where practicable
Gyms
Offices, including call centres
Manufacturing and warehousing
Universities and TAFE
Schools including teachers and visitors (such as parents and contractors) but excluding students
Businesses such as hospitality and hairdressers that are already using QR codes will also need to ensure staff and visitors such as maintenance workers and delivery drivers check-in, when they resume services after the lockdown period.
Hospitality businesses will now need to extend the use of the Service NSW COVID-Safe check-in to all customers including takeaway orders.
The Australian share market has closed trade on its best year since the current index was launched in 2000.
At the close of trade the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 was up 0.2 per cent to 7313 points, capping off a financial year in which the market gained a staggering 23.9 per cent.
Incredibly, the index closed out a financial year in which it recorded a positive rise 11 out of 12 months.
The performance of the S&P/ASX 200 in FY20-21 even beat that of the mining boom in 2006-07.
Among today's biggest winners were Telstra (up 4.44 per cent), mining outfit Iluka Resources (up 11.72 per cent) and travel firm Webjet (up 3.59 per cent).
Some of the day's notable losses came from AGL Energy (down 9.99 per cent), Origin Energy (down 2.59 per cent) and the a2 Milk Company (down 1.80 per cent).
The information provided on this website is general in nature only and does not constitute personal financial advice. The information has been prepared without taking into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any information on this website you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.
People are urged not to jump the gun and cancel bookings because they think they won't go ahead as this may be classified as a "change of mind" and limit the chances of a refund or credit.
Instead, if the provider cancels your booking, consumer guarantees apply, and you should have a right to a return.
For cancelled flights you'll most likely get a credit voucher - just make sure you check the expiry date, it has to be long enough for you to rebook.
For wedding cancellations, you must check your terms and conditions. They will vary from venue to venue and you won't always be entitled to a refund or credit.
Likewise, for sporting matches and theatre productions that are called off - check the Terms and Conditions.
Under the rules, gyms and sporting clubs are not allowed to charge you fees while they're closed because of COVID-19 restrictions.
ACCC Commissioner Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said the safest way to book a holiday amid border closures and lockdowns is to check the terms.
"We've had a lot of complaints, we've seen greater flexibility from some travel providers when borders close down not charging you dates on the whole but our core message to people: If you're booking travel read terms and conditions," she told 9News.
Three men have been charged after allegedly attacking a duo with a machete in a violent home invasion in Adelaide's north and throwing tiles from a roof in a bid to escape arrest.
Police were called to the home on Massey Street, Salisbury North just before midnight on Monday after reports three men had forced the front door open and assaulted a man and woman inside.
Detectives say one of the men was armed with a machete and struck the a 33-year-old male occupant on the leg while the others held the 36-year-old woman down.
The trio allegedly fled the scene with the victims' Holden sedan and the woman's handbag.
Polair was able to follow the allegedly stolen car as it travelled through several suburbs before stopping on Lillee Avenue, Brahma Lodge where two of the car's occupants were arrested.
Police say a third man ran from the scene and climbed onto a nearby roof where he allegedly started flinging roof tiles at officers on the ground, refusing to come down.
Footage from the intense standoff shows a hooded man on the roof, throwing tiles and yelling at police to "f--- off".
The man was eventually coaxed down and placed in cuffs along with his alleged counterparts.
The man and woman from Massey Street were taken to hospital for treatment to machete wounds and the alleged offenders were charged with a raft of offences including aggravated assault, and serious criminal trespass.
They said his friend, Jordan King, 16, was with Mr Brittain and said the pair were pulled over after leaving the car garage.
Mr King said Brittain's truck wouldn't go into park, so he got out to get an oil jug to put behind his vehicle's tyres, to stop it from hitting Sgt Davis' car.
He claimed Sgt Davis then fired without telling Mr Brittain to stop or get on the ground.
"They didn't say one word that I know of. I didn't hear it and it happened so fast," Mr King told the station.
State police say the circumstances of the traffic stop and what led to the deputy to fire his gun at Mr Brittain "will be documented in the investigation".
The sheriff's office says Sgt Davis will be on administrative leave pending the outcome of the state police's investigation.
Cabot, a city of about 26,000 people, is located about 48km northeast of Little Rock.
State police said Mr Brittain was from McRae, a city of about 700 about 24km northeast of Cabot.
A US man hailed as a hero for preventing further bloodshed after a gunman fatally shot a police officer in Arvada, Colorado, last week was himself fatally shot by police, Arvada police confirmed in a statement.
Police said Johnny Hurley, 40, fatally shot the gunman, identified as Ronald Troyke, after Troyke had shot and killed Arvada police officer Gordon Beesley near Arvada's Olde Town Square on Monday afternoon.
As Troyke ran toward the square with a long gun, Mr Hurley shot the suspect with a handgun, according to Arvada police.
"A responding Arvada Police Officer then encountered Mr Hurley, who was holding the suspect's AR-15," the statement said. "The officer shot him."
"Arvada PD views Mr Hurley's actions as heroic; it is clear that he intervened in an active shooting that unfolded quickly in a busy commercial area in the middle of the day, and that he did so without hesitation. Mr Hurley's actions certainly saved others from serious injury or death."
The shooting incident took place when Troyke's brother called Arvada police asking for a welfare check because he believed Troyke was going to "do something crazy," the statement reads.
Officer Beesley and a colleague made the welfare check but were unsuccessful in locating Troyke, after which they were dispatched to Olde Town Square to check on a report of a suspicious person, according to the statement.
In surveillance video of the incident, the suspect can be seen parking his truck behind Officer Beesley as he is walking through a parking area.
Troyke gets out of his truck with what police describe as a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun. Troyke shot the 19-year-veteran two times, according to police.
"Officer Beesley did not reach for his gun and takes no defensive action - he simply turns in response to the suspect who then shoots and kills him," the statement reads.
The suspect then shot out the windows of nearby patrol cars before running back to his truck to retrieve his AR-15, and back towards the square, according to the statement. Police said that is when he was shot by Mr Hurley.
Police also confirm that they recovered a note from Troyke which contained a host of specific threats against the Arvada Police Department.
"Today I will kill as many Arvada officers as I possibly can," and "I just hope I don't die without killing any of you pigs," were among the threats spelled out in the document, according to police.
The shooting incident has triggered two separate investigations to this point, with the Arvada Police Department conducting the probe into Officer Beesley's death.
A multi-agency Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) is investigating Mr Hurley's fatal shooting, according to the statement.
"We want to be clear that although these two deaths unfolded as part of the same incident, they are being investigated separately," Arvada PD says.
"Finally, it is clear that the suspect bears responsibility for this tragic sequence of events."
Statement by Mr Hurley's family
Mr Hurley's family put out a statement that was released by the district attorney's office.
"Our beloved son and brother Johnny is no more. We loved him dearly. May he rest in peace. Before Johnny engaged in a clear-eyed response to a dire situation, he was already a wonderful human being with a great enthusiasm for life," the statement said in part.
"We are deeply moved by the outpouring of love from the community and are grateful for the support of the Arvada Police Department and their partners. We don't yet have all of the information about what happened to Johnny, and we look forward to learning the outcome of a thorough and independent investigation.
"As a family, we ask that there not be speculation in the media while the facts are being determined. It helps no one. We ask that our privacy be respected while our grief is still so fresh. We ask that any media inquiries be directed to the First Judicial District Attorney's Office," the statement said.
Leaders of Australia's GP's have criticised the Prime Minister's announcement that they can now administer AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccines to younger people, without informing the doctors who would need to do it.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners said while the news was "welcome", they need "clarity", with surgeries "scrambling", and "phones ringing off the hook".
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced last night that the AstraZeneca vaccine, which has been given to millions around the world, would be opened up to more people.
That includes people aged 18-39 who are not yet officially eligible to be vaccinated in NSW - or anybody else who wants to opt to have it.
There has been hesitancy in older Australians allocated the vaccine due to the one in a million chance of blood clots.
The way was cleared by the Prime Minister's announcement of a no-fault professional indemnity scheme for GPs, which means there will be no consequences to the doctor if anything does go wrong for a patient.
RACGP President Dr Karen Price said the sudden news means GPs have a mammoth task amid the ongoing "difficulties" surrounding the highly-criticised rollout.
She admitted people are being told different things today when they try and book.
"The nation's general practices had no warning of the announcements made last night and are now scrambling to figure out what this means for our patients," she said.
"Phones are ringing off the hook at general practices across the country with people trying to book in, but general practices are not yet armed with the advice needed to implement this change in eligibility.
"It makes the job of GPs that much harder when we are trying to get as many of our patients vaccinated as quickly as we can.
"This is a significant alteration to the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, and it is vital that general practice is given significant time and support from the Federal Government to implement these changes.
"We have a mammoth task ahead of us and many GPs and staff are already feeling fatigued from facing the many difficulties encountered during this vaccine rollout."
She said the government also needs to clarify if people can also get the jab at state vaccination hubs too.
Earlier this year, medical watchdog the TPG advised that Australia's other approved vaccine, Pfizer was "preferred" for people under 50, and later under 60, leaving people over that age with AstraZeneca.
Health Minister Greg Hunt clarified today the health advice had not changed regarding Pfizer being the recommended vaccine for people under 60.
However, he admitted doctors and patients had been making a decision themselves on giving AstraZeneca.
"However, as has always been the case - and I think it is very important to emphasise this on the basis of informed consent - individual patients and their doctors have been able to make a decision to take up the AstraZeneca on the basis of their individual circumstances and their own judgement," he said.
A couple has been charged after allegedly attacking a restaurant owner and another man who intervened when they refused to check in to the venue.
Just after 7pm yesterday, the man and woman went to the restaurant on Wharf Street in Forster, where staff asked them to sign in using the mandatory QR code.
The man, 34, allegedly grabbed a bottle of water and threw it at a wall, smashing it.
Some NSW residents will be able to access a one-off payment of $500 this Thursday due to being forced out of work as a result of a COVID-induced lockdown.
The payment forms one part of the COVID-19 Disaster Payment, a Commonwealth-funded program that pays Aussies who have been displaced from work due to state lockdowns.
Specifically, affected workers can only access the payment after a lockdown exceeds seven days – but that's not the only catch. Here's what we know:
Okay, when can Sydneysiders access the payment? Aren't they nearing seven days?
Technically, to access the payment you need to live or work in a Commonwealth declared hotspot.
On June 23, Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly declared the City of Sydney, Waverley, Woollahra, Bayside, Canada Bay, Inner West and Randwick as a COVID-19 Hotspot.
That means residents in those areas who are eligible for the payment can receive theirs as early as this Thursday, July 1 (on the eighth day of lockdown, if that helps).
Three days later on June 26, Professor Kelly declared all of of Greater Sydney plus the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast and Wollongong as Commonwealth hotspots.
That means residents and workers in these areas can be paid from July 4.
That's pretty confusing. Are there any more terms and conditions I need to know about?
I'm hearing you, and yes it gets worse.
To receive the payment you must be an Australian resident, a permanent resident or be an eligible working visa holder.
But here's the kicker: you must also have liquid assets of $10,000 or less.
That means if you have more than $10k in the bank worth of savings – or trust fund money, or shares – you won't be eligible. And no, your car is not a liquid asset.
You also won't receive the payment if you're getting income support payments, another form of pandemic leave payment or a state small business payment.
Right. I think I'm still eligible … how do I apply for the payment?
To apply for the payment, you need to have an online myGov account to which you can link a Centrelink online account (if you haven't already).
Once online, Centrelink will ask the user a series of questions to determine if they eligible to claim the payment. If you are, a claim will be submitted and the user will be sent a text message confirming the claim has been submitted successfully.
There's no need to call Centrelink and the money should be paid on the day it is owed.
What if I'm a small business? The latest NSW lockdown has killed my trading and JobKeeper is all wrapped up.
Good question.
The Berejiklian Government today announced grants of up to $10,000 for businesses to help them survive.
Small businesses who experience a 70 per cent decline in turnover can access $10,000, those who have experienced a 50 per cent decline can access $7000 and those who have experienced a 30 per cent decline can access $5000.
The payments will be available by July 19.
To receive the payments, businesses must have an accountant statement that confirms a loss in revenue for the time period compared to the same time in July 2019.
The information provided on this website is general in nature only and does not constitute personal financial advice. The information has been prepared without taking into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any information on this website you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.
